Apparatus for blending fibers



9 Sheets-Sheet l OPEN W G/Pff/vf, ,Paffr W w/rry,

INVENTORS.

,47m/mex March 8, 1955 o. w. GREENE ET AL APPARATUS F' OR BLENDING FIBERSV F'lled Aprll 27, 1949 March 8, 1955 o. w. GREENE ET AL APPARATUS FOR- BLENDING FIBERS 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 27, 1949 March 8, 1955 o. w. GREENE ET AL APPARATUS FOR. BLENDING FIBERS f 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 27, 1949 SALA u Y m EMME E m NUM O V MA A m MTL A .WN WTA Nn 65E EMM ODAT Y B QN\N March 8, 1955 o. w. GREENE ET AL 2,703,438

APPARATUS FOR BLENDING FIBERS Filed April 27, 1949 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR March 8, 1955 o. w. GREENE ET AL 2,703,438

l APPARATUS FOR BLENDING FIBERS Filed April 2'7, 1949 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 l/ B U, i

March 8, 1955 o. w. GREENE ET AL APPARATUS FOR BLENDING FIBERS Filed April 27, 1949 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 Eg- I4 A709591' W w/rrY, THM/WAN L. /Q/CH/E, IN V EN TORS.

BY Z F5 March 8, 1955 o. w. GREENE ET Al.

APPARATUS FOR BLENDING FIBERS 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed April 27, 1949 March 8, 1955 Filed April 27, 1949 O. W. GREENE ET AL APPARATUS FOR BLENDING FIBERS 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 22 "2/2 -n-I r2M -207 84 ,19a ,f90 75 f9.0 184 l l- I ,86

I9/ Lf90 March 8, 1955 o. w. GREENE ET AL APPARATUS FOR BLENDING FIBERS FileclApril 27, 1949 9 SheetsfSheet 9 United States Patent O APPARATUS FOR BLENDING FIBERS Oren W. Greene, Robert Woods Twitty, and Therman L. Richie, Marion, N. C., assignors to Textile Equipment Corporation, Greenville, S. C., a corporation of South Carolina Application April 27, 1949, Serial No. 89,942

2 Claims. (Cl. 19-69) This invention relates to a method and apparatus for the blending of fibres and more especially to the combination with a plurality of fibre preparation machines, which are adapted to deliver quantities of fibres onto a common conveyor, of means for automatically delivering batches of fibres from each of the fibre preparation machines on top of each other or in superposed relation to each other in the form of a sandwich at which time all of the fibres processed by the various fibre preparation machines are fed, simultaneously, into a suitable machine for mixing and blending the various fibres thus delivered.

It is an object of this invention to provide apparatus for processing fibres, such as a plurality of feeders having means for catching the fibres processed by each of the feeders and holding the fibres and stopping any one of the feeders independently of the others when a predetermined poundage of fibres have been processed by a particular feeder, as a result of which all of the feeders will process la predetermined poundage of fibres independently of each `other and will hold the fibres thus prepared until all of 'the feeders have stopped automatically, all of which is clearly shown and described in our U. S. Patent No. 2,412,506 of December l0, 1946. Means are connected to each of the feeders to render the means for catching the fibres operable to dump the fibres held by all of the feeders onto a suitable conveyor to convey them into a hopper .having a hinged bottom which is adapted to normally remain in closed position until a batch of fibres from each of the feeders has been conveyed into the hopper in superposed relation to each other. The hinged bottom is then automatically released to allow the batches to fall, by gravity, into a cleaner, blending machine, or any suitable machine which agitates the fibres in loose form to thoroughly mix them into a common lot of fibres.`

It is another object of this invention to provide a .hopper of the type described which is adapted to receive .a plurality of batches of libres in superposed relation to each other, the hopper having a hinged bottom, and to Vprovide locking means for holding the hinged bottom in Yclosed or horizontal position until all of the batches have been dumped into the hopper, and to provide means automatically operable upon a predetermined number of vvall of the fibres, simultaneously, into a suitable blending machine or the like.

It is another object of this invention to provide a plu- `frality of fibre preparation machines adapted to deliver certain weight of fibres onto a common conveyor, with vmeans for automatically stopping each machine when `a predetermined poundage of libres has been processed and holding the fibres ready for delivery to the conveyor and continuing operation of the other machines until each of the machines has processed a predetermined weight of fibres, at which time the fibres processed by the first of the preparation machines are dumped onto the conveyor. There is also provided an automatic switch closing means on the conveyor which will be energized as the fibres from the first machine pass adjacent the second of the machines to thus cause the fibres processed by the second of the machines to be dumped onto the fibres from the first of the machines, and so on, until the fibres from all of the machines have been dumped onto each other in the form of a sandwich. The conveyor carries then the sandwich of fibres into a suitable blending machine or the like for mixing the same and to thereby blend the fibres into a common lot of fibres.

2,103,438 Patented Mar. s, 1955 Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other obiects will appear as the description proceeds when taieiil in connection with the accompanying drawings, in w 1c Figure 1 is a front elevation showing a plurality of feeders with a common conveyor for receiving the fibers processed by the feeders and the said conveyor having a portion of the invention applied thereto;

Figure l-A is an extension of Figure 1 showing a portion of the conveyor and showing the improved hopper for delivering the processed fibers to a suitable blending machine or the like;

Figure 2 is an enlarged front elevation of one of the feedrs and a portion of the conveyor as shown in Figure Figure 3 is an elevation looking at the right-hand end of Figure 2 with parts broken away and showing the conveyor in vertical cross-section:

Figure y4 is an elevation of the feeder looking at the left-hand end of Figure l, and showing the conveyor in vertical section and taken substantially along the line 4 4 in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a top plan view showing a portion of one of the feeders as it extends above the conveyor and showing the special apparatus connected thereto which is adapted to cooperate with the present invention;

Figure 6 is an enlarged view similar to the right-hand portion of Figure 4, but showing the fiber receiving container in lowered and opened position, and showing other cooperatingparts in a different position;

Figure 7 is an enlarged view of the fiber receiving container shown in Figure 6 and also looking along the line 7-7 in Figure 2;

Figure 8 is a detailed view of the lower portion of Figure and looking along the line 8-8 in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a view showing the opposite end of the container from that shown in Figure 7 and is an enlarged elevation taken along the line 9 9 in Figure 2 and showing a solenoid and the linkage connected thereto for controlling tlie opening and closing of the bottom doors or closures of the fibre receiving container;

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9, on a reduced scale, and showing the solenoid energized to open the bot tom doors of the fibre receiving container;

Figure 11 is an enlarged elevation of the right-hand central portion of Figure 2 and showing a type of mercury switch employed in the solenoid circuit for controlling the -electric motors which drive the feeders;

Figure 12 is an enlarged elevation of the right-hand central portion of Figure 4 and showing the mercury switch for energizing the solenoid which controls the opening of the bottom doors of the bre receiving container;

Figure 13 is an enlarged detail of the graduated end of the weight lever shown in the upper right-hand portion of Figure 6;

Figure 14 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 14-14 in Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a sectional plan view taken along the line 15--15 in Figure 13;

Figure 16 is a schematic wiring diagram of the apparatus when the solenoid for actuating. the bottom closure members of the fibre receiving containers are normally de-energized and also showing the electrical connections for controlling the hopper to which the batches of fibres are directed from th-e feeders;

Figure 17 is an enlarged top plan View of the inclined portion of the conveyor and the hopper and is taken looking substantially along the line 17-17 in Figure 1-A;

Figure 18 is an enlarged vertical sectional view being taken substantially along the line 18-18 in Figure l-A and showing a portion of the horizontal and inclined portions of the conveyor;

Figure 19 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 19--19 in Figure l-A;

Figure 20 is an enlarged elevation with parts in section and is taken along the line 20--20 in Figure 1A and showing a portion of the improved hopper;

Figure 21 is an enlarged vertical sectional view being taken along the line 21-21 in Figure 20;

Figure 22 is an elevation showing a portion of the right-hand`en`d of the" hopper 'in Figure 20 and showing thermanner in which thepivoted vbottom of thel hopper" is mounted;

Figure 23 is an enlarged elevation showing a portion of the left-hand'e'rid of the hopper' shown ir'rFigure 20 and 1s takenl looking'Y along the line 23423 in Figure 2O and showing the solenoid for controlling the locking and releasing of the pivoted bottom of the hopper;

F1gurez24-is'a vertical sectional' View being taken' substantially;alongtheline 24%24 in Figure 23.

Referringmor'e specifically tothe drawings.4 the refer# ence characters A, BY and C represent aplurality of fiber preparationmachin'es, such'as what are commonly known as feeders,y and'which disintegrate the fibers after they have passed through thelbale-breakers and the like; The fibers are then passed to a blending machineor' cleaner orotherfiber-'preparation' machines," to be delivered' to the1p1ckersin1the picking" ro'om; These feeders are identical to each other and a brief description of one' will' Each of the'fe'eder's has-ani electric" motor' llt) fordrivin g the same, each feeder having' aw plurality of' pulleysV 1l', 11a; 12,1241, andv 13 which are connected together by belts-14; 15'and416fwhich drivel conventional fiber' han'- dlingl-me'chanism, not shown,- disposed within the feeder housing and also drive conventional elevating mechanism', not shown', for elevating the"disintegratedfibers and' droppingthemlrdownthroughf a dischargeA opening' 17 of the feeder. to suitable co'nveying` apparatus;

To facilitate operation of the present invention, it is necessary thatthe'rfibersbe prevented from falling directly onto'fa suitable conveying' apparatus'. A structure such as thatv shown in our Patent: Number 2,412,506, of December 10, 1946, is `employed to lhold and weigh the fibers as they drop' through the discharge opening 17 of the feeder, sol a. predetermined' weight'A of'fibers' can be collected into a suitable fiber receiving container and held there, and when apredetermined weight' h'as been received, the feeder will automatically be stoppedand the other feeders" will continue' operation until all of' the fiber receiving containers disposed below thedischarge open- 1ng's fof `the feeders 'shall 'have' received a` predetermined weight, at which' time th'ebottornsofthe fibers receiving containers will be opened to discharge all of the contents of all of the fiber receiving containers' into' a'suitable conveyingmechanismtol convey'the" fibers to the improved hopper to -be later described.'

In the modifiedA form' of the invention, to be later described, the feeder, which may be any one of the feeders A; Band C will automatically be stopped when a predetermiued=weight` has'been receivedin the'fiber receiving container and the other feeders will continue operation until all` of= the fiber receiving containers disposed below the discharge openings ofthe feeders have been filled in the manner' heretofore described. However, when all of the feeders have been'filled', the bottom'of the fiber receiving container on feeder A will be opened to discharge its contents'- onto the' conveyor'mechanism andas the contentsof'the'con'ta'iner from th'efirst' feeder A pass beneath the fiber receiving container of the second feeder B the ccintents'from` the container' on'feeder B will be discharged onto the contents from.l feeder A and then as thel contents fromk feeders A and B' pa's's beneath the container for the feeder C, the contents from this last fiber receiving container' will be discharged onto the contents from' the' feeders' A- and' B, as' a res'u'lt of' which the contents fro'm the feedersy A, B andC will' be delivered to a succeeding4 processing machine, such as a blender or the lik'e'` with the batches' from each of the machines A, B and C being disposedin superposed relation to each other or' insandwich form" in a state similar to that in which the' hopper to beV later' described delivers the fibers to the blender or' the like. v

'Rigi'dly' secured tol thev ends of the outer sidewalls of the discharge portion of each feeder are legs' 20 and 2l offa U`shaped member 22, these being riveted to a suitable bar `23 which is, in turn riveted to the side walls of the feeder; Ilhis U-shapedf member 22 has outwardly projecting stops Z4a'n'd 25 (Figures 1, 2, 4 and 5) secured thereto for purposes to be later described. Downwardly and outwardlyprojecting members 26 and 27 are secured to the legs and 21 of the U-shaped member 22 and ha've pivotally secured thereto, as at 23 and 29, legs 32 and 33, respectively, of al second U-shapedmember 30 ring 36and one or more weights 38 may beplaced thereon to cause it to hold a proper amount of weight within the fiber container to be presently described. The stops 24 and 2.5, as previously described, areeugaged by the member 3@ in its up and down movement to limit swinging movement' of the member Sll (Figure 6)'.

Pivotally secured'to the leg portions 32 and 33 of the U-shaped member 30 are depending links 40 and 41, respectively, which have their lower ends rigidly secured to a fiber receiving'container'l; (Figures 2, 5, 6and'7).

This container 42 is over-balanced on'the pivot'ZS- by the addition of suitable weights` to the-hookedn member 37-` (Figures 13 and 14' and 15) so thatit will take a predetermined number of pounds and' ounces ofr fibers in the container 42 *to-swing thev ULshaped memberilfll on its pivot against the weight' applied to' thek member 37'.

The upper end'l of the container 42 is open and isr adapted to receive fibers fallingfrom the feeder discharge opening 17. The lower end of thecontainer 42' is-closed by a pair of swinging doorsl or closure members 45 and 46 whose upper ends are curled around and fixed to rods 47' and 48, respectively, which4 are pivotally mounted in brackets 'll and 51 and 52 and' 53 respectively (Figures 6 tol linclusive).

Referring to Figures 4, 6, 7 and 8, it may be observed that there is disposed` at the end of thev container 42 which has the weight lever 34 associated therewith, short arms and 56Y which are connected to the ends of the rods 47 and 43, respectively, and in which pins 57 and SSare mounted. To these pins 57 andSS are pivotally connected short links 59 and 60 tothe proximate ends of which thel ends of aY tension spring 61' are connected.

The spring 61 normally has a tendency to pull the bottom' closures 45 and 46 to closed position at all times, and the tension in this spring 61 is sufficient to hold the bottom closuresk 45 and 46 in closedA position, although the' container 42 may be completely filled with fibers from the feeder. The spring 6l also holds a solenoid plunger, toV be later described, in a raised position and when' the solenoid is energized, it will overcome the tension spring 6l and will open the closures 45 and 46 as observed in Figures 6, 7 and 10.

Pivoted to the U-shaped member 30 is the lower end of a link 65 (Figures 4 and 6) which is pivoted at its upper end to an arm 66 on which is mounted a conventional mercury switch bulb 67 for controlling the electric rnotor it) as will be later described. The. bulb 67 is disposedwithin a conventional housing 68. The arm 66 is pivotally connected as at 69to the conventional housing 68. The bulb 67 has a pairV of contacts 70 and 71 (Figure 12) disposed on the interior ofthe bulb and adapted to be surrounded by a quantity of mercury 72 when the lever 66 is in the position shown in Figure 12.

Wires 73 and 74 are connected to the contacts 70 and 71,

respectively, and lead to a conventionalV junction box 75 (Figure 2) and from this box wires 76 and 77 extend.

When the container 42 receives a predetermined amount of poundage of fibers, it will be moved downwardly from the position shown in Figure 4 to the position shown' in Figure 6 and will thus break the circuit to the electric motor lli, due to the fact that the righthand end of the arm 6'6 will be moved upwardly as shown in Figure 6, thus causing the mercury to move out of contact with the contacts 79 and 71 in the bulb 67. The motor circuit will be later described.

OnV the end of the container 42 opposite from the.

This cross bar 103 is pivotally connected toa core 104i of a solenoid 105 having wires 106. and l7 leading ,there from and being connected to other parts of the electrical circuit to be later described. The solenoid 105 is suitably secured to the end of the container 42. The wires 106 and 107 are connected through intervening wires to a mercury switch bulb 108 (Figure 1l) having` liquid mercury 109 therein and which controls the opening of the closures 45 and 46 in the bottom of the container 42 in a manner to be later described. The mercury switch bulb 108 is disposed within a conventional housing 91 mounted on a bracket 90 on the U-shaped member 22 (Figure 2). This mercury switch housing 91 and its associated parts is identical to the mercury switch 67 previously described for the electric motor 10, except its ends are reversed on its lever 94 and during the time that the fibers are being fed into the container 42, the mercury switch bulb 108 in the housing 91 occupies the position shown in Figure 11.

The mercury switch bulb 108 is mounted on a lever 94 and has a link 95 connected thereto which is pivotally connected as at 96 to the leg 33 of the U-shaped member 30. Also mounted on the leg 33 is a conventional dashpot 97 to which is connected a link 98 which is connected to the leg 21 of the member 22 which is ixedly secured to the discharge portion of the feeder. This dash-pot is a conventional mechanism and merely slows down the swinging movement of the member and associated parts.

It Will be noted that the above described mechanism refers to the normally de-energized solenoid circuit employed in the Patent Number 2,412,506. It will be noted that the bulb 108 in Figure ll has contacts 110, and 111 therein which are normally out of contact with the mercury 109 disposed within the mercury tube or bulb 108 when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 9, for example. The contacts 110 and 111 are connected to wires 92 and 93, respectively, which extend from the housing 91 (Figure 11) and are connected at their other ends to the electrical circuit to be later described. As the fibers are deposited in the container 42 it will move downwardly very gradually until the predetermined amount of fibers have been deposited in the container 42. The container 42 will then have moved the lever 94 (Figure 2) upwardly sufficiently to cause the mercury 109 therein to contact the points 110 and 111 to be ready to energize the solenoid 105 and to forcibly open the closure members and 46 to dump the contents from the container 42 inasmuch as the solenoid 105 will overcome the tension in the tension spring 61. However, it will be readily understood, upon the electrical circuit shown in Figure 16 being fully described, that the sole- .if

noid will not be energized by the mercury 109 moving into engagement with the contacts and 111 in Figure l1 until all of the containers in a series have been lled with the predetermined amountof fibers.

For example, the container 42 associated with feeder A might be set to move downwardly at 4 pounds, while container 42 of feeder B would be set to move downwardly at 6 pounds, and the container associated with feeder C would be set to move downwardly at 8 pounds. When this downward movement of the containers took place, the motor 10 for the particular feeder would be stopped when the predetermined amount of fibers will have been deposited in its receiving container, but the solenoid 105 associated with the discharging of the contents from the container, for allowing the opening of the bottom closure members 45 and 46, would not function for the reason that this will not take place until all of the containers have been charged to the predetermined amount of bers to be placed therein according to weight.

Any suitable means may be provided for conveying the discharged fibers from the containers 42 to the hopper to be later described associated with another fiber treaing apparatus. An elongated continuous conveyor is shown in the drawings as being provided for this purpose. This conveyor comprises an elongated trough having side walls 99 and 102 with slats 112 and 113 disposed near the bottom inner side portions thereof. The walls 99 and 102 are supported by legs 119. The side walls 99 and 102 have a plurality of brackets 114 and in which upper rollers 116 are mounted and also lower rollers 117. The upper rollers 116 are designed to support the upper reach of the horizontal portion of an endless belt 118 and the lower rollers 117 are provided 6 to support the lower reach of the horizontal portion of the belt 118.

Referring to Figure l, it may be observed that the lefthand portion of the endless belt 118 is mounted on a roller 120 and, as schematically shown in Figure 1-A, the right-hand portion of the horizontal upper reach of the belt 118 passes over a suitable roller 121 fixedly mounted on a shaft 122 which is rotatably mounted in suitable bearings iixedly mounted on side frame members 125 and 126 which generally support the inclined portion of the conveyor belt 118. A V-pulley'128 is fixedly mounted on one end of the shaft 122 (Figuresl l-A and 18') and has a V-belt 130 mounted thereon which` extends to a pulley 131 driven by a motor 133 having; wires 135 and 136 extending therefrom to a suitable: source of electrical energy, not shown.

The endless belt 118 then extends to the left in Figt ure l-A and passes around an idler roller 134 fixed on a shaft 134a which is also rotatably mounted in suit able bearing blocks secured to the side frame members 125 and 126. The upper reach of the belt 118 then extends upwardly at an angle and passes closely adjacent the roller 121 and its upper portion passes around an idler roller 137 (Figures l-A and 19) which is rotatably mounted in suitable bearing blocks secured to the side frame members 125 and 126. The lower reach of the belt 118 then extends downwardly at an angle substantially parallel to the upper reach thereof and then passes beneath idler rollers 140 and 141 and then upwardly and over another idler roller 142 (Figure 17) after which the lower horizontal reach of the belt 118 passes over the rollers 117, heretofore described, as shown in Figure 1.

The rollers 140, 141 and 142 (Figure 1-A) are rotatably mounted in suitable bearing blocks secured to the side frame members 125 and 126. It may be observed in Figures l-A and 17 that the frame members 125 and 126 also support a suitable idler conveyor comprising a continuous belt 150, whose lower reach is disposed in parallel relation to the upper reach of the inclined portion of the conveyor belt 118. The purpose of the co'nveyor belt is to prevent the fibers on the inclined portion of the conveyor belt 118 from rolling, by gravity, down the inclined portion of the conveyor belt as they are carried up the same, preparatory to being dumped into the hopper to be presently described. Y

The conveyor belt 150 is mounted at opposite end portions thereof on idler rollers 151 and 152 fixed on shafts 151e and 152a, respectively, which are rotatably mounted in suitable bearing blocks suitably secured to the side frame members 125 and 126. Another idler roller 153 is provided to insure that proper contact is made between the belt 150 and the rollers 151. This idler roller 153 engages the upper reach of the belt 150 and is rotatably mounted in suitable bearing blocks secured to the side frame members 125 and 126.

Referring to Figure 17 it may be observed that the shafts 134a and 151:1 have V-pulleys 154 and 155, respectively, xedly mounted thereon and on which a V- belt 156 is mounted to thus drive the conveyor belt 150 at the same rate of speed as the conveyor belt 118.

After the batches of fibers from the various feeders A, B and C have moved up the inclined portion of the belt 118, it will be noted in Figure l-A that the batches fall off the end of the conveyor into a funnel-like hopper broadly designated at 160. There are many types of liber preparation machines, such as superior cleaners and blenders to which this hopper 160 may be connected, and! in the drawings there is shown, schematically, a superior' blender 162 which usually has a plurality of driven rotatable beaters 163 therein, there being a suitably formed transverse partition 164 extending in parallel relation to the row of beaters 163 to form a bottom for the housing within which the beaters 163 are disposed. This structure is shown in Sutteniield, Patent Number 2,102,442, of December 14, 1937. In Figure l-A it may be observed that the type of blender shown has an intake opening 165 at its left-hand end and a discharge opening is indicated by the reference character 166 at its right-hand end.

The hopper 160 comprises irregularly cut polygonal side walls 170 and 171 which are adapted to be secured to the side walls of the blender 162 by any suitable means such as welding, spot welding, riveting or the like. A lower inclined panel 173 spans the distance between the aromas .f

edges of the panels 170 and 171 and is securedthereto:

byfany suitable meanszsuch spot.welding.

The 4hopper-:161) is also providedwithan upper .inclinedLA panel 174'wh1ch 1s disnosedfata moreacute angle relativer.

to thefverticalcthan; vthe1lowerpanel 173 r and. this .upper panelf.-17'4 also :spans `thefdistance.-between.:the vertical.

sidezwallmembers170 and 171.'and Ais flanged; at .opposite sldes thereof, itheangesL-being:.spot.weldedf to'ithev side wall members; 170 and 171.

It will. be; noted that the :lower edgeof 4the panel f 17.4

is spaced.'apart.fromcthenuppersedge. ofthe lower panel 173, .thusformingan elongated opening1-75 (Figure 20).

Disposed: at.thez.opposite.fsidey of thev hopper `160. from thepanelp174 is a verticallvdisposedpanel .176 (Figure l-A), the lower end of :which .terminates;a substantial distancerabove the inncturexofxthe. lowen panel-.173i with thezblender 162 andnthe upper portion of which. extends a substantialfdistance:above.the' unperopen end` ofthe hopper. v160.. to thus-.serveras fa baffle to preventthe fibers from beine dumpedfolf Athe end of theconvevor beyond the hoppersfl andato provide-an'` opening .inthe'hopper forl discharging its :contents through the. coinciding openingI 1651intothef. blender 162.1`

The panel-176 is welded at opposite side'edgesthereof to the vertical-side panels 170 andz171..V The vupper portion of the'oanel v176 is reinforced byzangle members 180 and181: being welded to: the remote edges of the upper. portionv of panel 176 and being welded at. their lower ends 1 to the nooerednes offthe panels a 170 and 171.` Gusset plates. 177fand 173 (Figures l-A and 17)v are Welded to upper edaesof'sidewalls 1.7i) and 171 and to angle mem,- bers 180 and 181 to lend further rigidity to the panel. 176;

Welded 4to the remote' snrfacesiof the side wall Apanels 170"A and `17:1 are bearingiblocks "184 (Figure 20) in which opposite ends of a pivot shaft 186. are oscillatably mounted. Loosely mountedbetweenthe side wallk memr.

bers 179.l and `171` for. vertical swinging movement Within :thehopper 160. is a pvoted bottom panel. 187 .whose left-hand'end in Figuresll and .22`scurved .around and conformsto .the pivot shaft 186. .This panel 187 is se cured to thetshaft l186 by screws 19@ '(Fiaures 2O and2l l.

Therleft-.hand portionof theshaftg186 inFigure 20 slidably penetrates and extends bevondthe bearingblofk 184 and has a weightv arm. 191k xedlv mountedpthereon as by a set screw. 192 '(Figure'lb. This weight arm 191- mav be: ofanyv desired. length and basa weight member 193xadiustably securedy thereon as by a set screw 194. f. It may. be observed. in' Figures 23 and 24that the weightarmf 19.1 extendsa substantial distance tothe left from thepivotzshaftldand has a pin .195 `secured.thereintas bvz a set; screw 196 and .proiectingoutwardly therefrom. When: the panel 187:v is in a horizontaler closed position as shown in Figure. 20,.the pin'is adapted to engage. a bell crank 209 -having a notch.2il1 therein which is adapted ofthezbell crank 20D/is provided with a tapered cam surface 202,;the purnose'of which will be later described..

The bellcrankl 20.0 isLoscillatably mounted as at-Zlli onrthe side wall member-171 and hasa horizontal link portion 2115 whoseleft-'handendginligure 23 is pivotally connected .asi at :29610 the lowergend of a solenoid core rodf`20.7.. .The Vsolenoidgcore rod 207 extends upwardly and'isimounted-'forrvertical; sliding `movement within a v tentsfromthe .containers .42 are dumped onto, the upper:

reach of the conveyor. belt.113,'thesolenoid 211B will 'he energized tothus. cause the solenoid core rod 2417 to move upwardly" within the solenoid 210 which will result in the bell crank 200 moving .in a clockwise direction in .Figure 23..

It isrmanifestwthacupon `theinitial starting of the conveyor 118,-' there would be no fibers in the hopper lllresting on ythe pivotedbottom 187 ,"and,ffconsequently, asI the -bellf crankfmfsmovedrrn a clockwise fdirection,

.55 to slidablv receive the pin'x195.l` The lowerendportion f the' weigh t,193 :at ..thecnd ofthe weight arm; 191 in Figure,4 23 will '.be-,sumcientto hold the pivotedfbottornyr plate-182m elevated ,or horizontalfposition.. However-,f

assuming that-,a batch of tbersfromfeachof-the threel machines A, and C hadpreviously beendurnped `into the vhopper 1611,- then, upon the contents from thecontainers #-12 again dumping onto the conveyor toagain,

energize the solenoid,the weight of the bers on the pivoted bottom plate187 wouldmore than overcome the weight of the weight member 193 and would thus cause. the pivoted bottom v187, along with'the weight,arm 191,p

izounterclockvvise direction in Figure 23,` to thus dump the contents of the hopper vinto thev to nieve in a lower `portion of the hopper and thus through the opening 165,*into the blender 162. It is thusseen that the fibers f fromallof the machines A, B and C will enter the, feed end of the blender 162 simultaneously to thus insurea more uniform 4blending of the fibers than has heretofore been possible.-

slidingoff the free end of the pivotedbottom plate- 187,

theweightmernber 193 will causethe weight, armg191 andthe ,plate 137 to move in a clockwise direction in Figure 23. .Tl1e circuit tothe solenoid 210l will have. been broken and the core rod 2il7swill have moved downwardly, by gravity. Since the core rod2ti7 is loosely mounted in the solenoid 210, the pin 201 on the weight f arm 191 will engage the cam surface 202k of the bell crank2tlii,-thus moving the bell crank in a clockwise. directionin Figure 23 until the pin 195 .1s again Ain engagement withthe notch 201y in the bell crank200. to thereby4 hold the plate 1&7 in locked position untilthe solenoidqis again .energized as will be later described. Thedrums 1.63ct the blender162 have teeth 167which 'engage thefbers fronrthehopper 160 .to withdraw the, bers therefrom and to convey `the .samej throughthe blender.

Electrical circuit Referringto Figure 16, there is shown thearrange-y ment of the electrical circuitfor controlling the operation .of the feeders A, B and .C in cooperation with each other and showing the electrical connections to the hopperI 1619 so the, solenoid 211i associated with the hopper i60-may respond to the dumping of the containers 42 lt may also associatedv with the feeders A, B and C. beobserved that the switch 67 controls the `electric motor 11i for each of the feeders A, B and C and it has already been stated how the electricwires 73 and 74 extend from the switch 67 through a box 7S and are connected to wires 76 and 77 which extend from Vthe other side ofthe box 75.

The wire f6 is connected to one side of the electric;.

motor Wand there is a wire 220 extendingv from thefother side of theelectric motor and the wires 221), from all of thefeeders A,B and C are. connected to a common lead wire 221. The electric wires 77 from all of the. feeders A, Band Care connected to another common lead .wire 222 to thus complete an electrical circuit to all. of the motors 11i when the corresponding switches 67are closed.

During the timeV that thefeeders A, B and C are filling theirassociated liber containers-42the switches l67 f are normally in a closed position and the switchesk 103 are normally in an opened position, as shown in Figures l2 and '11, respectively,

Referring again toFigure 16, it may be observed.

that the wire 93 associated with the feeder C, at the righthand end of Figure 16, is connected to a wire 223 which extends from a suitable source of electrical energy such as the. plus Side of a storage battery 224 and this Wire 93, of course, extends to the, switch 108. The wire 92 extends from the other side, of the switch 108, and is connected` to a. Wire 223e which v extends to the feeder B v and .is connected to its associated wireY 93,.,while the wire 92 at the other side lof the switch 10S associated with the feeder B is connected to a wire Z23b which is c011- nected at its other end to the wire 93 associated withl the feeder A. The .wire 92 at the lother side of the switch 108 of feeder A is connected to a wire 225 whichv is connected to the wire 214 at one side of the solenoid 21) associated with the hopper 160.

Thefwire 215 at the other side of the solenoid 210` is connectedrto a common lead :wire 226 which extends from-the minus side =of l the storageibattery 224.1211161.;

Now, immediately upon the bers in the hopper 160,.

also has the wires 106 from the solenoids 150 associated with the feeders A, B, and C connected thereto. It will be noted that the wires 107 from the other side of the solenoids 105 are connected to the wire 225 which extends from the wire associated with the feeder A to the wire 214 of the solenoid coil 210 as heretofore described.

Now, let us assume that the containers 42 associated with one or both of the feeders A and B have moved downwardly to close the switches 108 in the manner heretofore described. Still no current can pass to thc coils 105 associated with the machines A and B until the last machine, which, let us say, will be machine C has filled its container to the predetermined poundage and cause it to move downwardly. This will close the switch 108 on the machine C and thus establish a circuit through all of the switches 108 to energize all of the solenoids 105 to forcibly push the doors or closures 45 and 46 downwardly, thus opening the containers 42 to discharge the contents therefrom.

Now, upon the circuit being completed by the closing of all of the switches 108, it is manifest that the circuit will also be completed to the solenoid 210 associated with the hopper 160, thus causing the pivoted bottom plate 187 to move downwardly at its free end and dumping the contents from the hopper into the blender or the like, in the manner heretofore described. 1t has already been stated how the switches 67 will be deenergized immediately upon the predetermined poundage being reached in each of the containers 42, and which will automatically de-energize the motors 10.

The containers 42, being relieved of their weight, will then move upwardly to their normal position which will again open all of the switches 108 to de-energize the solenoids 105 and then the tension spring 61 will close all of the bottom closures 45 and 46 associated with the machines A, B and C. This return of the containers 42 to their normal position will also close all of the switches 67 in the motor circuit and start all of the machines in another cycle of operation.

It is thus seen that by the use of machines of thc type described and the improved hopper 160 and with a circuit such as that shown in Figure 16, the batches of fibers from the machines A, B and C, although they are dumped onto the conveyor belt 118 simultaneously, may be delivered to the blender or the like in superposed relation to each other and also simultaneously, to thus pro duce a more uniform blend of the bers' upon the fibers being discharged from the other end of the blending machine 162 (Figure l-A).

The foregoing specification emphasizes certain inherent outstanding features of the present invention. The fibers may be weighed with a high degree of accuracy and in amounts of as little as a few ounces because of the simplicity of the several machines. particularly as regards the scale mechanism. The weight lever or scale beam 34 is pivoted by the weight of the fibers when the amount thereof received in the container 42 is equivalent to the predetermined weight; and this movement is not appreciably impeded by the actuation of the mercury switches which are actuated by the scale beam.

Moreover, maintenance of the predetermined percentages of the several different fibers during prolonged operation of the apparatus is insured by the provision of apparatus which prevents the discharge of fibers from any of the fiber-receiving containers in the event that less than the predetermined amount of fiber is weighed in any of those containers.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

We claim: v

l. Apparatus for use in blending fibers comprising a plurality of machines for concurrently feeding, weighing and discharging predetermined amounts of each of a plurality of different fibers in successive batches, each machine including a scale beam and a receptacle having a bottom door operatively associated with said scale beam, a hopper having a door in its lower portion, conveyor means positioned to receive batches of fibers discharged from the several receptacles and to deliver said batches into said hopper in superposed layers constituting a sandwich, an upwardly inclined fiber mixer disposed to receive in its lower portion a sandwich of fibers discharged from said hopper and including beaters to move the fibers upwardly to an outlet near its upper end while mixing and blending them, and automatic means to insure maintenance of the predetermined percentages and uniformity of mixing of the several different fibers in successive batches, Said means including an electircal circuit having switch means arranged in series and associated respectively with said machines, each switch being automatically closed by the scale beam of its machine concurrently with the receipt of the predetermined amount of fibers in the receptacle of said machine, said circuit also including solenoids arranged in parallel and operatively associated respectively with the doors of the hopper and of each of the machines to open said doors, the closing of all of said switches causing simultaneous energization of said solenoids.

2. Apparatus for use in blending fibers comprising a plurality of machines for concurrently feeding, weighing and discharging predetermined amounts of each of a A plurality of different fibers in successive batches, each machine including a scale beam and a receptacle having a bottom door operatively associated with said scale beam, a hopper having a door in its lower portion, conveyor means positioned to receive batches of fibers discharged from the several receptacles and to deliver said batches into said hopper in superposed layers, an upwardly inclined fiber mixer disposed to receive in its lower portion fibers discharged from said hopper and including beaters to move the fibers upwardly to an outlet near its upper end while mixing and blending them, and automatic means to insure maintenance of the predetermined percentages and uniformity of mixing of the several different fibers in successive batches, said means including an electrical circuit having switch means associated with each machine and automatically closed by the scale beam of its machine concurrently with the receipt of the predetermined amount of fibers in the receptacle of said machine, said circuit also including electrical means operatively associated with the doors of the hopper and each of the machines to open said doors, the closing of all said switch means causing simultaneous energization of said electrical means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 880,400 Pryce Feb. 25, 1908 2,057,641 Curley et al. Oct. 13, 1936 2,127,120 Johnson et al. Aug. 16, 1938 2,240,350 Ross Apr. 29, 1041 2,412,506 Greene et al. Dec. l0, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS 120,676 Great Britain Oct. 2l, 1918 

